Article Actions

Evaluation of shellfish aquaculture for potential contaminants is essential for consumer confidence and safety. Every three years, between 1999 and 2014, bivalve shellfish from aquaculture zones in up to 31 estuaries across 2,000 km of Australia’s east coast were tested for cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium and zinc. Inorganic arsenic was included in the analyses in 2002, and total arsenic was used as a screen for the inorganic form in subsequent years. Concentrations of inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury were low and did not exceed maximum limits mandated in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. As maximum limits have not been assigned to copper, selenium and zinc, accepted international dietary guidelines were used as a benchmark. Dietary exposure assessments for these elements demonstrated that shellfish from the aquaculture areas investigated do not present a food safety risk. Continued surveillance is essential, given increasing pressure on Australia’s coastal resources.

Subscribe Today

Subscribe to the Journal of Food Protection® and Food Protection Trends to stay up to date on the information you need, including scientific research and articles reporting on a variety of food safety and quality topics.

Request Permission to Reuse Content

This link will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center where you can submit a request to reuse IAFP’s content found in our publications. Please note that no part of any publications may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior permission from IAFP.